Depth controlled trolling rudder



1952 H. c. JENSEN DEPTH CONTROLLED TROLLING RUDDER Filed Oct. 15, 1948 3nventor:

,A EA/EY C. JEN-SE Patented Dec. 23, 1952 NUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Henry C. Jensen, Pioche,- Nev.

Application October 15, 1948, Serial N0. 54,757

5 Claims. (c1. 43 43.13)

This invention relates to a depth controlled trolling rudder.

The principal object of the invention is to control with a high degree of accuracy the relative depths at which a rudder rides during a trolling operation.

Trolling is common practice in the art of fishing. It consists in attaching lures or bait behind a boat and pulling the lures or bait through the water of a lake or stream. Rudders attached to fishing lines for the purpose of keeping the latter from turning or twisting when the lures or bait are attached behind the rudders, are in general well known. In order to hold the lures or bait at a certain depth, it has heretofore been the practice to attach sinkers, usually made of lead, to a line. Since it is desirable to frequently change the depth of sinking, that method of attaining the desired result becomes extremely cumbersome.

According to the invention, a transverse fin is provided for the rudder, the position of the fin being conveniently changed according to the depth of sinking desired. In this way it is possible to sink heavy lures deeper, light lures less deep, or to bring heavy lures near the surface or further to sink light lures to the proper depth, all without the aid of the usual sinkers.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of one embodiment;

Fig. 2, a longitudinal section taken on the line 22 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l indicates a rudder suited to the present purpose, this rudder being provided with a link I l for attaching a trolling line l2; and a link I3 to which bait of various kinds, including live bait or suitable lures (none of which are shown) are attached, for example, by means of a short line 14. 1

In the present instance both the rudder and the fin are assumed to be made of transparent plastic sheet material of suitable thickness. Other material, such as metal, can be used.

An opening I5 formed in the rudder has preferably the shape of a sector of a circle. The fin is movably fitted into the opening 15 by means of a neck 16 that connects the two symmetrical fin wings I? together and leaves the two slotted portions it and i9. One end of neck [6 hinges or rocks in the angular niche 20 of opening l5, while the other end of the neck is in engaging frictional or other resistant contact with the arcuate boundary 2'! of opening sector [5. Thus by simply overcoming the resistance manually, the fin can be conveniently shifted into various other positions where its plane forms the desired angle with respect to the tensioned pulling line [2.

It is readily understood that when the fin is in the operative position of Fig. 1, the lures or bait will tend to sink, while positions where the fin is closer to the side 22 of opening l5 will produce a rising tendency.

Snug fitting of the slotted portions I8 and [9 increases the resistance to accidental displacement of the fin along the rudder.

As a facility in manufacturing, assembling of fin N, Fig. 1, with rudder I0, so the fin wings defined by slotted portions l8 and I9 transversely of the plane of the rudder, shall straddle that plane, is accomplished as follows: A dovetail incision is made somewhat as indicated at 28, the portion 29 is then bent away from opening l5; next, the neck It is inserted in opening l5 and finally the portion 36 is returned to its original position. The parts can then be reunited by heating if the material is a plastic, or by brazing in the instance of a metal.

Obviously, the fin of the invention is used also in controlling the depth when casting and retrieving.

Both the rudder and the fin of the invention as hereinbefore described, are preferably made of sheet material which may be referred to as defined largely by two surfaces lying substantially in planes spaced apart from each other. Such material in the various mechanical arts is conveniently spoken of as being substantially plane. The fact that two planes are involved is commonly implied. Therefore, in the present instance, the term plane in connection with such words as rudder, fin, blade and so on, defines the general characteristic of those parts.

While certain specific features are herein shown and described, the following claims define the desired scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A depth controlled rudder, comprising a plane rudder having a sector-like recess having two intersecting sides defining an angle and a third side defining an arc connecting the angledefining sides, and a fin having a neck, one end of which neck is disposed to rock in said angle and the other end of which neck is disposed to engage the side defining the arc.

2. A depth controlled trolling rudder according to claim 1, wherein said fin includes Wing portions joined to ether by the said neck and is disposed in said sector-like recess so as to oscillate in the plane of said rudder; and wherein said 3 wing portions include slotted portions straddling the rudder.

3. A trolling rudder comprising two, intersecting. substantially plane blades, one blade being slotted along the line of intersection so as to define a neck which divides that blade into two connected parts lying in the plane thereof; the other blade having an angularly apertured portion in which said neck is -angularly movable in the plane of said other :blade.

4. A trolling rudder comprising two substantially plane blades assembled along a common line of intersection; one of said blades having an apertured portion lying in the 'planethere'of; the other blade having a neck extending along-the line of intersection so as to be movable angularly in the plane of the first-mentioned blade.

5. A trolling rudder according to -clain ,4, wherein said aperturedportion has the configuration of the sector of a circle; and wherein the 20 .4 said neck has its movement centered in the angular portion of said sector.

HENRY C. JENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name -Date 1,870,556 Drake Aug. 9, 1932 2,156,741 Sellers May 2, 1939 2,219,886 Blomme Oct. 29, 1940 2,234,439 Larson Mar. 11, 1941 .15 2,484,162 Golembeski Oct. 11, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date "128,073 Masters June 19, 1919 172.140 Gray Dec. 8, 1921 

